Short Courses & Events / Archive

The Acoustics of Belt Singing

Thursday 3rd October 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)

Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM) covers a multitude of singing styles that have received less scientific attention than other types of singing. This is despite the fact that the vast majority of those who earn money singing (or teaching singing) do so in CCM styles. Belting − also referred to as the “musical theater” style or “broadway singing” − is a primary vocal quality in many styles of CCM.

Voice acoustics is an active area of research in many labs, including Dr. Meyer’s, where the science of singing is explored to inform (and improve) our pedagogical practice. However, voice acoustics is often a source of confusion for students and teachers alike.

In this workshop Dr. Meyer will present an overview of the acoustics of “belting” using layman’s terms appropriate for the beginning voice scientist and singing teacher alike. Particular emphasis will be given to instances where the first vocal tract resonance (which in the radiated sound is a “formant”) boosts the second harmonic of the sung tone (fR1 = 2fo). Though many sub-categories of “belt” may exist, a dominant 2fo (second harmonic) seems to be the common distinguishing spectral feature and an acoustic hallmark of belting.

Participants in this course will increase their knowledge of belt acoustics, and explore strategies for applying this knowledge in singing instruction.  

🏷️ Price £30 (UK VAT inclusive)
🎥 Recording automatically sent to all who book (even if you cannot attend live)
▶️ Rewatch as many times as you like
📜 Certificate of attendance available

David Meyer

A leading scholar and researcher of the singing voice, David Meyer is an active performer, teacher, clinician, and voice scientist. 

CPD Course Logo

Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.

Learn More

Sorry, this is an archived short course...

We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.

Introduction to Postgraduate Academic Skills - Join Live!
Tuesday 4th November 2025
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday 11th November 2025
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday 18th November 2025
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday 25th November 2025
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday 2nd December 2025
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
(London Time)

Introduction to Postgraduate Academic Skills - Join Live!

Debbie Winter

Are you ready to elevate your academic journey? Hosted by our very own Debbie Winter, join our comprehensive Introduction to Academic Skills course, designed to equip you with essential tools and strategies for success in higher education. Perfect for bridging the gap between undergraduate and postgraduate study, this course offers a pathway to our full MA for students without an existing degree. We offer both live, interactive sessions and standalone, pre-recorded content.

Seeing Sound: An Acoustic Approach to Voice for Actors!
Tuesday 18th November 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)

Seeing Sound: An Acoustic Approach to Voice for Actors!

Professor Kathryn Cunningham
Dr Sri Nandamudi

In this short course, Professors Kathryn Cunningham and Srihimaja Nandamudi (CCC-SLP) will introduce accessible ways to integrate acoustic voice analysis into actor voice training. Expanding on their article for Voice and Speech Review, Cunningham and Nandamudi will demonstrate interactive strategies that crossover from the clinical realm to the acting studio.

The Art and Science of Accents and Dialects: Bridging Linguistics and Dialect Coaching
Thursday 20th November 2025
5:00 PM - 7:30 PM
(London Time)

The Art and Science of Accents and Dialects: Bridging Linguistics and Dialect Coaching

Louisa Morgan

The Voice Study Centre in partnership with the University of Essex are delighted to be hosting a free-to-attend symposium event on the 20th of November 2025: The Art and Science of Accents and Dialects: Bridging Linguistics and Dialect Coaching. The session will include a two-hour online roundtable panel discussion including time for a 30-minute Q&A from the audience at the end.